


The Right Guy

by Druekee



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Complete, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Jookyun friendship, M/M, Monsta X Bingo, Pining, Requited Love, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2018-12-26 15:50:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12062160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Druekee/pseuds/Druekee
Summary: It's Jooheon's Sophomore year of college, and the crush he's been harboring on his long time friend and roommate, Kihyun, suddenly decides to bite him in the ass when Kihyun becomes infatuated with some other guy. And on top of that, Jooheon's roped into pretending to be Kihyun's boyfriend for a double date!How will he figure it out, and convince Kihyun that he's the right guy for him?[Jooki/complete!]





	1. Chapter 1

A sudden, loud cry of “JOOHEONY!!” resounded into the cramped college dorm living space, the voice accompanied by a loud bang of a slamming door, quickly shuffled footsteps, and the sound of shoes flying off, startling Jooheon out of his homework-induced reverie. He scooted around in his chair, facing the dingy, off-white door of his room, heart still racing from the loud noises. The door to his room flies open and in bustles Kihyun, black hair sticking slightly to his forehead and eyes looking frantic and excited.

“Are you okay!?” Jooheon asked, eyebrows bunching together as he stared at his, apparently insane, roommate as he paced around his bedroom and plopped himself down onto Jooheon’s bed.

“I think so, oh my god joohEONY,” Kihyun said, face breaking out into a huge smile as he bounced slightly on Jooheon’s bed. “There’s this really hot guy in my Advanced Vocal class, he’s a Junior and his body is freaking incredible,” Kihyun explained, sighing happily.

“O-Oh yeah?” Jooheon said, voice cracking slightly, his expression becoming darker as his eyes burned holes into his homework, fingers clenching into the edge of his desk.

“Yeah~ I can’t believe how sexy he is, and his personality is so sweet and innocent, he’s like a total package. I didn’t ask him if he was single but I honestly don’t care at this point, he’s gonna be mine,” Kihyun said, laughing a little as he pressed his hands against his face, smiling giddily. Jooheon’s fingers clenched harder against the edge of his desk, knuckles turning white. His pupils began to shake slightly, and he found himself almost unable to reply. Kihyun… had a crush on someone? He sounded like he was seriously infatuated, unlike any crush Jooheon had seen him get in the past years that he’d known the boy. Jooheon felt his heart ache, and he bit his plump lower lip, trying to pull himself together in the presence of Kihyun.

“Are you gonna ask him out?” Jooheon asked, trying to keep his voice even, but still unable to make eye-contact with Kihyun. Jumping up from his perch on Jooheon’s bed, Kihyun stood behind Jooheon, peering over the younger boy’s shoulder and looking at his face, his expression a tad nosy. Jooheon jumped back, surprised at seeing Kihyun’s face so close to his.

“…Are you jealous?” Kihyun asked, grinning cheekily as he watched the way Jooheon’s eyes widened in an obvious confirmation.

“No! I’m barely even paying attention, this assignment is due by midnight…” Jooheon lamely defended, hoping it would at least suffice for now. Kihyun raised his eyebrows and looked at the clock, seeing how it was a little past 1 PM.

“….Uh huh,” Kihyun replied, chuckling a bit, shaking his head at his friend’s odd behavior. Jooheon felt his cheeks flush and he played with the corner of his computer keyboard, still wanting his question to be answered despite his embarrassment.

“So are you going to ask him out?” Jooheon repeated, turning around in his chair to look Kihyun in the eye this time, hoping he sounded more confident. Kihyun hummed thoughtfully, pushing his bangs out from his eyes as he replied.

“I want to,” he began, making Jooheon’s heart drop. “I don’t want to come off too strong right off the bat though, I mean, I just met the guy an hour ago,” Kihyun continued, chuckling. Jooheon nodded in reply, turning back around in his chair and pretending to continue working on his assignment. Kihyun watched the boy’s behavior and didn’t think too much of it, instead honing in on the cute little bleach blond ponytail atop Jooheon’s head.

“So I guess I’ll just play it cool for now. Your hair looks really cute like this, by the way,” Kihyun concluded, gesturing at Jooheon’s hair before smiling and walking out of the room, missing the flush rise to Jooheon’s cheeks.

At the sound of his door clicking shut, Jooheon let out a sigh and dropped his head into his arms, his whole face feeling hot, but his mind going crazy. How was he supposed to suppress his crush on Kihyun when the boy said things like that to him? Not only that, but how was he going to deal with the fact that said crush was falling head over heels for some other guy? He groaned in frustration, hoping that Kihyun would snap out of his infatuation sometime soon and realize who was actually the right guy for him. Groaning even louder at his own cheesy thoughts, Jooheon pressed his face further into his arms and squeezed his eyes shut, wishing the situation just wasn’t happening.

 

* * *

 

 

Another day passed by and Kihyun was exiting his Advanced Vocal class for a second time, happy to finally be able to talk to his crush again. Walking beside him was a boy named Shin Hoseok, who, in Kihyun’s opinion, could very well be interested in him as well. He seemed very flirtatious with him, past the realm of a normal person’s friendliness. It gave Kihyun hope.

“So do you have any plans for the weekend?” Kihyun asked, trying hard to make his voice sound light and calm, even though he was a little nervous asking his crush out. There was a brief pause, the only noise heard being the sound of their footsteps on the concrete sidewalk. Kihyun felt his heart beat louder in his ears.

“Mm, no, not really,” Hoseok replied, sounding genuinely casual. “Why?” he prompted, innocence clear on his expression.

“Yeah, me neither. Wanna hang out sometime this weekend then?” Kihyun asked, smiling confidently to mask his inner worry, hoping he wasn’t coming off too strong. Hoseok suddenly got very excited, smiling brightly as he faced Kihyun, seeming very eager.

“Sure! Hm… what should we do though?” Hoseok replied, not giving Kihyun enough time to answer before he jumped right in with a suggestion. “Oh man!! You know what would be fun? A double date!! My boyfriend would love that, I think you two would get along,” Hoseok continued, and Kihyun’s eyes widened, turning pale at the sudden turn of events. Hoseok was dating someone? That certainly changed things.

“Oh, uh…” Kihyun began, finding it difficult to tell the boy no, despite the fact that he was single, because he really did want to hang out with him. Plus the way Hoseok was looking at him… his expression was so pure and excited. Kihyun was at a crossroad.

“Huh? …Oh! I forgot to ask if you were dating someone- I’m so sorry-” Hoseok began, looking incredibly awkward and stumbling around his words as he scrambled to amend the situation. At his distress, Kihyun made a critical decision.

“No, it’s okay!! Actually, I am dating someone, haha,” Kihyun began, and Hoseok became visibly relieved at the statement. “Where do you want to go?” he continued, smiling brightly to cover up his inner panic. Hoseok grinned happily, flashing the boy a gorgeous smile as he thought about the question he was asked.

“Hmm, maybe we could get dinner?” Hoseok answered, with a look that clearly expressed that he wanted Kihyun to finish the rest. Kihyun nodded in confirmation, racking his brain for ideas.

“How does tomorrow at 6 sound? I have an idea for a restaurant already,” Kihyun replied with, hoping everything would work out. Wonho nodded and smiled back at the boy as they approached the different housing units, about to part ways.

“That sounds good to me! I’ll see you then?” Hoseok said, sounding eager. Kihyun slowly came to a stop and smiled as best as he could at the other boy, nodding in confirmation.

“I’ll see you then.”

Walking back to his dorm, Kihyun felt an overwhelming sense of dread as he processed the situation away from Hoseok’s adorable gaze. He just agreed to going on a double date with his crush… but he wasn’t even dating anybody. How was he going to find a suitable date in one day and still manage to successfully woo his crush despite the fact that he was currently dating somebody else? It was a huge task, but Kihyun still felt like he could manage something- but not without getting a date first.

Entering his dorm, Kihyun let out a huge sigh as he gently slipped off his shoes and walked in, feeling a little overwhelmed. Sitting on the couch in the common area, Jooheon glanced up at the older boy, a little surprised to see him so down.

“How’s it going?” Jooheon asked, eyes following his roommate as he plopped onto the chair beside him, slumping into his seat a little.

“It’s going alright, I just tried asking my crush out,” Kihyun explained, groaning loudly. Jooheon winced on the outside, but on the inside he was becoming more hopeful- judging by his mood, Jooheon could easily guess that he just got turned down. Which wasn’t good for Kihyun, but for Jooheon’s selfish crush, it was great news.

“I’m sorry, did he turn you down?” Jooheon prompted, trying to keep his voice sound like that of a caring friend, and nothing else. Kihyun laughed and smiled over at Jooheon, shaking his head.

“No, actually. I asked him if he wanted to hang out this weekend, and he suggested I go on a double-date with him and his boyfriend,” Kihyun explained, and Jooheon winced, genuinely feeling sorry for the older boy.

“Oh god, what are you going to do? Find somebody to date in 24 hours?” Jooheon asked, finding the idea to be utterly ridiculous. Kihyun shook his head and scrunched his eyebrows together in thought, responding to the question.

“No, I don’t think that’s a good idea. I just need to find somebody who could pretend to be my partner for a few days, somebody who would be chill and not go too far…” Kihyun said, trailing off. Jooheon looked down and shrugged, not quite sure where Kihyun was going with this train of thought. Startled by the sudden sight of Kihyun jumping out of his chair, Jooheon looked over at the boy with wide eyes.

“OH MY GOD- I have a great idea! Jooheon, you could be my date!!!” Kihyun said, eagerly staring at the boy with excited eyes. “Yes! This is going to work out perfectly!” he continued, getting a little ahead of himself. Jooheon gave the boy an apprehensive look, processing the situation a little more now that he’s directly involved. Kihyun just (practically) asked him to go on a date with him, to participate in a situation where they would have to be flirty and even show some PDA. Jooheon felt his heart thump harder in his chest, and the thoughts of how bad the idea was were quickly overtaken by how excited he was to be Kihyun’s date, even if it was just for a few days. He paused and thought about the situation a little bit more, weighing his options.

“Do you really think it’s a good idea to trick him?” Jooheon tentatively asked, looking up at Kihyun with slightly nervous eyes, his cheeks a little flushed. Kihyun grinned happily, taking the question to mean he was pretty much down for the plan.

“It’ll be okay~ so you’re gonna help me?” Kihyun eagerly asked Jooheon, giving the boy a hopeful look, trying to convince him with his eyes. Jooheon sighed loudly, rubbing at his face.

“…Yeah,” he eventually said, sparking an immediate fist pump and excited cry from Kihyun.

“Yes!! Now I’m excited about this date; I’m gonna win him over tomorrow!” Kihyun said, too excited for his own good. He then rushed into his room, mumbling about something or another, and slammed the door behind him. Jooheon laughed a little bit, but was internally panicking. How was he going to somehow pull off fake dating his crush? It almost felt like he was in a drama or something, he couldn’t believe he somehow got himself into this situation. He had so many things he had to think about by tomorrow, to make sure he kept his composure, but in the meantime- he had some homework to do. Getting up from the couch with a small sigh, Jooheon trudged into his room to work on an assignment, happy he at least had something to distract him from his current situation.


	2. Chapter 2

“So, are you ready for the date tonight?” Jooheon calmly asked, taking a bite of his cafeteria lunch, chewing on the slightly slimy vegetable with thought. Kihyun swallowed his bite, took a sip of his drink, and replied, his expression a little off.

“I don’t really know,” Kihyun said, his tone softer than usual. Jooheon looked up at the other boy, gauging his expression as he awaited an explanation. “I’m excited about this date, but I’m kinda starting to wonder if we can really pull off being a couple,” Kihyun continued, gazing up at Jooheon with a heavy, and almost flirtatious gaze, breaking out into a small smirk as he watched Jooheon’s face slowly start to redden.

“You’re messing with me, aren’t you?” Jooheon replied with, voice an accusatory mumble, wishing he could call a time-out for this weird situation; almost regretting that he asked the question in the first place. Kihyun let out a high-pitched, hyena like laugh, highly amused with his younger friend’s struggle.

“Sorry~” Kihyun said, tone a little too casual for him to actually be apologizing. “But to answer your question- I’m pretty much ready. I’ve been preparing a few questions and conversation starters to make sure this goes smoothly. As for my confidence in our fake romance,” Kihyun began, glancing over at Jooheon. “I’m pretty sure we’ll be convincing enough,” he concluded. Jooheon nodded in reply, fighting back the urge to say anything that would give his crush away, blinking away his hopeful expression as he worked to stay professional despite the situation. Tonight’s dinner was going to be a particularly difficult one- but Jooheon still felt excitement bubble up in his tummy just thinking about going on a date with Kihyun. He was hopeless at this point.

 

* * *

 

Slipping on his pants, Jooheon tucked in his semi-formal button-down shirt, clasping the button of his tight black jeans and zipping up his fly. They had to leave in five minutes for the double date, and he was feeling the nerves hit him harder than ever before. He had no idea how he was going to manage this, he wasn’t afraid to admit that. Pushing his bleach blond bangs out his eyes, Jooheon took a steadying breath, stretching his neck with closed eyes before opening the door to his room. In the common area was Kihyun, who was tidying up the living space with hurried movements. It was a pretty typical sight for Jooheon, and he felt himself relax slightly upon seeing it.

“What time is it?” Kihyun asked, washing his hands in the sink after finishing his cleaning. Jooheon glanced down at his phone before replying.

“It’s 5:28,” he said, walking over to the door to begin putting on his shoes. Kihyun nodded and verbally confirmed the time, walking over to put his shoes on as well. They planned on arriving about 20 minutes early, since Kihyun wanted to be there before the other couple, so when they both had on their shoes, they went ahead and left to go to the restaurant.

Arriving at the restaurant with a little bit of nerves, Kihyun and Jooheon both approached the Maître D', saying they had reserved a table under Yoo Kihyun. They got led to a small, four-person table in the very back of the restaurant, the front door still visible from where they sat. The atmosphere was utterly divine, though, moody lighting and dark wood tables adorned with flowers, it was the perfect place for a romantic date. Jooheon’s heart pounded in his chest- he couldn’t believe he was in a place like this with Kihyun, where they were sitting so close their thighs were literally pressed against each other. It was driving him crazy.

After around twenty minutes of sitting and waiting- the other couple finally arrived. Jooheon’s nerves had been on edge for the entire time they were sitting there, and at the sound of Kihyun’s excited whispering and gestures, he almost had a heart-attack. Looking up, Jooheon squinted his eyes in focus as he looked at the front door, eyes widening in shock at what he saw. Entering the decently large restaurant were two boys that Jooheon himself knew quite well.

“Kihyun… is that your crush?” Jooheon asked, holding onto the last shred of hope he still was clutching in his heart. Kihyun nodded excitedly, his hand grabbing onto Jooheon’s upper arm.

“Yeah, the blond,” he replied, and Jooheon sighed loudly, resisting the urge to smack Kihyun for not telling him sooner.

“That’s Hoseok, Changkyunnie’s boyfriend,” Jooheon said, and Kihyun scrunched his eyebrows together, finally tearing his eyes off of Hoseok to look at his boyfriend who, just as Jooheon had said, was Changkyun, Jooheon’s close friend.

“Oh SHIT,” Kihyun hissed out, beginning to panic. “Changkyun knows that we aren’t dating,” he continued, mind racing as he thought up excuses and backstories, trying to clean up the situation as best as he could. Jooheon swallowed thickly, his vision tunneling as he thought about all the things he’d told Changkyun, about how the younger knew about his embarrassing crush on Kihyun. He held back every urge to simply run out of the restaurant and leave the situation, keeping his expression stony and serious, staring unblinkingly at the dark wood table.

From afar, Kihyun and Hoseok made eye-contact, and Kihyun waved, plastering on a fake smile that transformed into a real one when he saw the genuine, excited expression on Hoseok’s face.

“Kihyunnie!” Hoseok called out, walking a little faster towards the seated couple, his smile wide and endlessly pure, Changkyun trailing behind him a bit like a lost puppy. Kihyun waved in reply, making eye contact with Changkyun, laughing a little.

“Hey! How are you two doing?” Kihyun asked, standing up to greet them properly. Luckily, Jooheon got the message and stood up too, smiling politely.

“Good!” Hoseok replied, glancing over at Jooheon and smiling at the boy. “Nice to see you again Jooheon,” Hoseok said holding out his hand. Jooheon, with a friendly smile, shook his hand, but his eyes were giving him an up-down, trying to figure out what exactly Kihyun was so attracted to. He’d met the man before, only a few times, but he’d never been particularly taken by his looks or physique before. Looking at him now, though, Jooheon was starting to notice just how built he really was, and his face was pretty attractive too. He felt his heart drop as he compared Hoseok’s gorgeous looks to his own sub-standard body and face.

After a slightly awkward pause, Jooheon replied, smiling so hard and fake that his eyes disappeared into strained crescents. “It’s good to see you too, Hoseok-hyung,” he said, completely missing the confused look from Kihyun.

“Hi, Kihyun-hyung,” Changkyun greeted, successfully redirecting Kihyun’s attention. He smiled at the younger boy and shook his hand, giving him a warm smile. He’d met the boy a few times over the past year, but usually him and Jooheon didn’t hang out or meet up at the dorm, so he wasn’t too familiar with his private life.

“Changkyun-ah~ how have you been?” Kihyun casually prompted. Changkyun smiled and replied, a strange light flickering in his eyes.

“Pretty good. Actually, I’m really surprised Jooheon asked you out,” Changkyun said, smiling serenely and looking over at his friend with excited eyes. “He never told me~” he continued, pouting slightly, but the rest of his expression was otherwise stoic. Kihyun scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion, wondering what exactly Changkyun was getting at. Jooheon’s eyes widened, and he stared over at Changkyun with a panicked, nervous expression that clearly read ‘shut up NOW’.

“Yeah, I’m glad he said yes,” Jooheon replied with, hoping his response was sufficient in quelling Kihyun’s confusion and getting Changkyun to shut up. Kihyun nodded, smiling a little tentatively. Maybe Jooheon was using Changkyun’s ridiculous statement as a cover up for their fake relationship…? It worked for now, so he decided to roll with it.

“Yep, so are you guys hungry?” Kihyun asked, hoping to redirect the conversation to something a little safer. Unluckily for him, Changkyun was dead-set on figuring out the secret behind his friend’s relationship.

“Mhmm, so Jooheon,” Changkyun replied, eyeing his friend with a twinkling light in his eyes. “When were you planning on telling me that you finally had the guts to ask out Kihyun-hyung?” Changkyun continued, unknowingly stirring the pot. Jooheon’s cheeks flushed and he tried giving the boy a subtle glare, hoping he’d finally get the message. Kihyun scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion, not understanding why Changkyun had to harp on this for so long.

“Um… it was pretty recent, I guess,” Jooheon said, swallowing nervously, looking around at Hoseok and Kihyun. Noticing that the other boys were absorbed in the menus, Jooheon mouthed ‘cut it out’ to Changkyun and shook his head, his eyes fierce. Changkyun’s eyes widened and his eyebrows raised, seeming to finally get the picture. Frowning bashfully, Changkyun gave his hyung a thoughtful look, gauging his frazzled appearance briefly before smirking, his eyes twinkling with a renewed mirth. Jooheon groaned, knowing that look all too well, and knowing it could only mean trouble.

“Have y’all kissed yet?” Changkyun asked, making Jooheon choke on his sip of water, his eyes widening. Kihyun glanced up at this, giving Jooheon a confused look, hoping the boy wouldn’t blow their cover any more. Oblivious to it all, Hoseok smiled softly, playing with the pages of the menu as he thought about his and Changkyun’s first kiss, his cheeks turning pink at the sweet memory.

“Um… haha, Changkyunnie~” Jooheon said with false endearment, reaching over to roughly pinch Changkyun’s cheek, making the younger boy wince. Pouting, Changkyun meekly started rubbing his cheek, exaggerating his pain to hopefully make Jooheon feel guilty. He was just having a little fun, didn’t hyung understand that~?

“Have you looked at the menu yet?” Kihyun said, hoping to divert the conversation, pushing his menu closer to Jooheon and reaching his arm behind the boy, his fingers lightly pressing against Jooheon’s side. His heart thumping from the close proximity, Jooheon softly shook his head, looking over the menu distractedly, his eyes demurely downcast and lips slightly parted. Kihyun couldn’t help but notice the shift in behavior and he glanced at Jooheon’s face, finding himself oddly attracted to how shy and cute his Jooheon looked. He slowly looked away, trying not to think too hard about it.

“Hoseok-hyung, what are you going to order?” Kihyun then asked Hoseok, unconsciously trying to distract himself from Jooheon. Hoseok glanced over at Kihyun, his eyes twinkling beautifully in the dim lighting, his hair like spun gold in Kihyun’s mind. He smiled, his perfect teeth shining in the light, and Kihyun resisted the urge to bend him over the t-

“Hmmm, probably steak,” he replied, snapping Kihyun out of his trance. Nodding his head, he told Hoseok how good the steak was here, and complimented his good taste, laying it on pretty thick. Beside Hoseok, Changkyun raised an eyebrow, a chuckle escaping his lips. He leaned over the table and made eye contact with Jooheon.

“He gets steak almost every time we go out,” Changkyun whispered to Jooheon and Jooheon started giggling, glancing over at Kihyun, who was still talking about fine cuisine with Hoseok, who just looked happy to be there.

The rest of the dinner passed without much of a hitch, and by the end of the night, Kihyun truly felt like he got closer to winning over Hoseok’s heart. Kihyun could easily admit to being a bit more confident than most, but he knew for a fact that there was no way Hoseok wasn’t falling for him after tonight. He practically had the boy in the palm of his hand, he’d never had a date that had laughed so hard at his jokes, and they had such a good banter already. As him and Jooheon were walking out of the restaurant and to Kihyun’s car, Kihyun excitedly jumped in the air, resisting the urge to scream in joy, knowing that Hoseok and Changkyun were still nearby. He grabbed Jooheon by the shoulders, giving the younger boy a tight, grateful hug.

“Thank you for your help, Jooheony,” Kihyun said, squeezing Jooheon once before parting, looking into his eyes briefly. Jooheon’s heart surged at the sudden physical contact, his eyes looking desperately into Kihyun’s, expression unknowingly conveying his inner uncertainty and desperation. The night had gone well… for Kihyun. For Jooheon, it was basically salt on his wound, and watching his long-time crush flirt with somebody else right in front of him hurt more than he could’ve ever anticipated.

“N-no problem, hyung,” Jooheon said, smiling sadly. They both then stepped in the car and drove away, beginning the mostly quiet car ride back to their dorm. Jooheon gazed out of the window, watching the streetlights whiz past blankly. He only wished there was something he could do to make Kihyun notice his feelings, but at this point, he was worried he would never get the chance to…


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooo and the plot thickens! Thanks for all the kudos and comments, I hope you all enjoy the update!! And sorry for the long wait!
> 
> I also have some fun news to announce, ReeLeeV (a great friend of mine and author on here) and I have gotten together to start little a project on Tumblr where you can request any kind of fic you'd like to read! And, best of all, if it's a sort of embarrassing request (ie something on the smutty side), you can leave the request anonymously! We'd love to write you guys stuff that you /want/ to read, and this is a great way to help us do that. The only requirement is that it has to include at least one MONSTA X member.  
> Go to mx-requests-forum.tumblr.com to leave us a request (whether anonymously or not)! We hope to hear from you soon!! <3

Walking out of his first class, Jooheon sighed loudly, his eyes heavy with tiredness. Not only was he exhausted from his rather early and strenuous class, but he also had a terrible time sleeping last night. He just couldn’t stop replaying the events of the previous evening, the mixed emotions of joy and bitterness swirling within him. On one hand, he was happy he got to be Kihyun’s date, even if it was only fake, but on the other, it was painful watching Kihyun fawn over someone else. He walked back to his dorm, wondering what he should do to sort through his mixed emotions.

Making it back to his room after several minutes, Jooheon set his bag down onto the floor before sitting down, staring at his phone screen as he bit his lip. The screen displayed a message from Kihyun, merely asking if he wanted to do dinner later with him. Ignoring the text for now, Jooheon begins typing out a new message to Changkyun, asking the younger if he could talk to him. Responding in only a few seconds, Changkyun merely replied ‘on my way’, as if he already knew that Jooheon needed to see him. Hearing a knock at the door a few minutes later, Jooheon stood up, walking over and letting Changkyun in. 

“Hey,” Changkyun said, shuffling into the dorm and taking off his shoes, pressing them into the shoe rack lightly. Jooheon shut the door behind him, locking it before walking over to the couch in the common area and flopping down onto it.

 “So… about yesterday,” Changkyun said, giving Jooheon a tentative look. He could tell the older boy was feeling off just by looking at him, and he wasn’t too surprised; Jooheon usually took emotional blows pretty hard.

 “I don’t know what I was thinking when I said yes to Kihyun’s request,” Jooheon said, laughing bitterly. Changkyun looked down, silent. “I guess I just thought it would be fun to pretend to be his date, and it was, Changkyunnie, it felt incredible,” Jooheon continued, and his cheeks suddenly heated up, the honesty pouring out of him. Changkyun looked up at Jooheon, happy to see some genuine emotion out of him. “For some reason, I kind of assumed it wouldn’t get to me, but it hurts even more knowing that we aren’t actually dating. I want to be his real boyfriend, not just his fake one,” he finished, and he pouted, feeling a little embarrassed after pouring his heart out to his usually stoic friend. Changkyun nodded and looked down, feeling bad for the boy.

 “I get what you’re saying, I can’t imagine what it would feel like if I had to do that with Hoseok…” Changkyun said, trailing off a bit. Jooheon slowly nodded, taking a deep breath after a few seconds of silence.

 “I don’t know what I should do, I guess just act normally? Kihyun doesn’t know I have a… crush on him,“ Jooheon said, pausing before saying ‘crush’, because at this point, it was way past being ‘just a crush’.

 “I think that would be a good idea,” Changkyun replied, not really knowing how to give advice in such a peculiar situation. “Just see where this goes, eventually Kihyun is going to figure out that he doesn’t have a chance with Hoseok,” Changkyun reassures. “And he’ll realize who he actually belongs with…” Changkyun says, looking down with a tiny smile on his lips. Jooheon feels his cheeks heat up and he smiles a little, happy his friend is so supportive of his relationship.

 Hearing a sudden knock, Jooheon is startled out of his daze, staring confusedly over at the door. He began standing up, but was beaten to the punch when Changkyun answered it for him, apparently knowing more than Jooheon. Opening the door, Changkyun revealed a brightly smiling Hoseok, who was holding a bouquet of flowers and hair slicked back attractively. Changkyun smiled timidly in return, his cheeks tingeing pink at the embarrassing and sweet gesture.

"Hoseok…” Changkyun said, moving over to allow the boy entrance. “What are you doing here?” he prompted.

 “Well, you said you were talking to Jooheony about the date last night, right?” Hoseok began, shuffling his shoes off and placing them haphazardly around the shoe rack. “Well, I was there too, I thought I could give the boy some insight too. Oh! And I brought you flowers, baby~” Hoseok finished, his expression turning loving towards the end. Changkyun blinked rapidly, staring at his boyfriend in awe. Jooheon, meanwhile, stared at his hyung with a curious, and slightly taken-aback, gaze, wondering just how all those pieces connected in his head, considering how it ultimately led to him arriving unannounced at his dorm.

 “Hello, Hoseok-hyung,” Jooheon belatedly greeted, weirdly feeling like he was intruding on an intimate moment, despite it being HIS dorm they were all congregated in. Hoseok happily waved back, taking a few steps towards Jooheon.

 “Hello! About your crush on Kihyun,” Hoseok began, giving the boy a slightly more serious look. “I think everything will work out! You two interacted so believably yesterday, I didn’t even realize you two weren’t dating until Changkyunnie told me afterwards! You’ll get together in no time, I’m sure of it!” Hoseok reassured, giving the boy an honest look. Changkyun nodded as well, agreeing with his boyfriend. On the couch, Jooheon’s cheeks heated up and he looked down, processing the line about how believable they were. Was it really that convincing of a performance…? Half the time, Jooheon wasn’t even trying… he shook his head as if to physically clear his thoughts and addressed his hyung’s comment.

 “Thank you, hyung. I hope you’re right,” Jooheon replied, sparking a bright smile from Hoseok. Noting the pleasant shift in mood, Changkyun looked over at Hoseok, changing the topic.

 “So, did you buy those flowers for any reason…? Were you planning on taking me on a date?” Changkyun prompted, giving his hyung a puppy-like expression. Hoseok blanched a little, but quickly collected himself, his smile returning.

 “No, kkukungie~” Hoseok started, voice playful. “But we can go on a walk, if you want to? It’s such a nice day.” Changkyun nodded happily, shooting Jooheon a slightly apologetic look.

 “If you let Kihyun know how you feel, I’m sure everything will work itself out,” he said, and Jooheon merely stared at him blankly, wishing it were only that easy. Changkyun and Hoseok then waved, letting themselves out. Jooheon offered a meek goodbye, shutting the door behind them and locking it, pressing his back to the door as he inhaled deeply. He certainly felt better about the situation, but was now feeling more pressure than ever before to let Kihyun know how he feels. He felt like time was ticking away, and once Kihyun realized he had no chance with Hoseok, he was surely going to move on to the next hot guy. Jooheon desperately hoped he could be that guy for Kihyun.

 Biting his lip as he leaned his head back against the door, Jooheon thought about Changkyun’s comment, wondering how hard it would really be to let Kihyun know how he felt. At the intense panic and embarrassment that overcame him, Jooheon dejectedly realized he had a long way to go before he would be able to do that.

 

* * *

 

 Bitterly hitting the enter key after another just-above-mediocre paragraph, Jooheon groaned, wishing he could finally finish this essay already. If he could get away with it, he would simply turn off his computer and walk away, but the paper was due in class the next day, so he had to do as much as he could right now. Startled by the loud sound of the door opening, Jooheon peeked through the crack in his bedroom door, seeing a rather haggard looking Kihyun walking in. He hadn’t seen the boy since yesterday, and, if he was being honest with himself, was kinda glad. He still didn’t know how to act around him. Glancing at his clock, he noticed just how late it had gotten- realizing that it was time for dinner.

 “Jooheony~ wanna get dinner~?” Kihyun trilled from the doorway, voice hoarse and echoing between the sounds of shoes rattling into the shoe-rack. He had just gotten back from his strenuous choir rehearsal, and was unsurprisingly in a good mood. That teacher adored him, and Kihyun, deservedly, had a huge solo in the upcoming Spring concert. Scooting his chair back at the sound of his stomach growling, Jooheon realized just how hungry he really was.

 “Sure hyung,” Jooheon replied, voice a little tentative. He didn’t know why, or maybe he did, but he was feeling shy all of a sudden. Standing up, Jooheon walked towards the door, grabbing his student ID and softly padding into the common area, already sufficiently dressed for the campus dining hall. Upon entering, he can’t help but notice how attractive Kihyun looks in his casual clothes, his white shirt a little too large for his petite frame. Jooheon briefly pondered just how nice it would feel to hold him from behind, how his body would cradle the smaller boy’s so perfectly—

 “Well? Are you ready yet?” Kihyun asked, who, when Jooheon looked up, was staring straight into his eyes. Flushing, Jooheon nodded, forcing out a weak smile. They then promptly exited the dorm, making their way to the dining hall, shivering a little in the cold weather. Noticing the slightly tense air between them, Kihyun started talking, merely light conversation about his rehearsal and how much praise he got from his teacher this time. Jooheon acknowledged his comments with a sufficient amount of words, smiling genuinely and congratulating him on his good work. Kihyun seemed pretty content, so when they entered the dining hall, the mood was good.

 “So, what have you been up to today?” Kihyun prompted Jooheon as they both sat down at their usual table in the dining hall, plates piled high with mildly questionable food. Jooheon took a tentative bite of a pea before answering, his eyes darting around as he wondered just how much he should tell Kihyun.

 “I hung out with Changkyunnie earlier, and I’ve been working on the essay I have due tomorrow for the past few hours,” Jooheon answered, hoping Kihyun would let him live this time… please…

 “Oh? What did you and Changkyun talk about? The date? Oh god, he must think we’re… Hm. Did you tell him we weren’t dating? Do you think he’ll tell Hoseok-hyung?” Kihyun suddenly bombarded Jooheon with questions, startling the younger boy as he tried to soak it all in. He laughed a little, looking down as he pondered his reply. This was a sensitive topic, it could even influence his chances with ever dating Kihyun.

 “Oh, you don’t need to worry about that, Changkyun didn’t ask,” Jooheon said, and Kihyun nodded a bit questioningly, eyebrow quirking up. He clearly wasn’t buying it. Jooheon prepared another statement to help ease Kihyun’s mind, but noticed the sudden shift in Kihyun’s mood.

 “Over there… it’s Hoseok and Changkyun, speak of the devils,” Kihyun said, bringing his fork to his mouth as he absently chewed on a bite of food. Jooheon turned around in his chair, surprised to see the two boys in question casually sitting alone together at a table across the room, looking mirthful and sickeningly sweet. Jooheon brought his attention back to Kihyun, who’s expression was… oddly distant, almost unreadable. Jooheon’s eyebrows scrunched together confusedly, wondering why he seemed so thoughtful and wistful, instead of any other emotion. Jooheon hadn’t seem him so quiet in a situation like this, not with a person he had a crush on.

 Kihyun felt strange, like a shift had just happened in his heart. He was watching his crush and his crush’s boyfriend interact so affectionately, so pure and sweetly… but he didn’t feel jealous. He didn’t feel… anything. It was like he was watching a couple on TV, he only felt happy for them. Hoseok was making an expression Kihyun had never seen him make before, his eyes were so focused on Changkyun, he looked like a love-sick fool, and it made Kihyun realize something.

 “They really are a cute couple,” he admitted, smiling bitter-sweetly, looking away as he pressed his fork back into his food. Jooheon’s eyes widen considerably and he nods in agreement, his heart thudding in his chest. Did Kihyun just get over his crush? Well, he supposed it was really more of an infatuation to begin with, but Jooheon couldn’t help but find himself getting overly hopeful. No, maybe it was too soon to assume that. He quickly reprimanded himself and got back to his food, still with a slight smile on his lips. Kihyun can tell Jooheon’s mood is lightened for some reason, but he doesn’t question it- instead following his lead and continuing to eat. It was what they came here for, anyway.

 Arriving back at the dorm, Jooheon groans, realizing he definitely needed to get back to work on his essay. Walking towards the fridge in their half-kitchen, Jooheon grabs an energy drink, taking a quick swig as he watches Kihyun get settled on the common room couch. He assumed the boy was going to watch a movie or drama, and as much as he wanted to join him… he really should get back to work.

 Entering his room, on a mission, Jooheon opens up his essay document and sources and gets to writing. It was a hard, thankless project, but it only took him another hour to complete it. While writing, he could hear Kihyun in the room over watching some kind of comedic show, his barking laughter heard through Jooheon’s open door. Finally finished, Jooheon stretched languidly, walking out into the common area with a slight pride in his step.

 “I finished,” Jooheon declared, and Kihyun cheered distractedly from the couch, quickly pausing the show to give Jooheon his full attention. He turned slightly from his position on the couch, looking over at Jooheon as he walked to the kitchen cabinets.

 “Do you need to print it out tonight?” Kihyun prompted, mostly because he was pretty sure the library was closing soon. Jooheon shook his head, bending down to grab a bag of chips from the lowest cabinet, feeling his form-fitting sweat pants get tighter over his legs as he bent down. Damn… Kihyun felt his heart race for some reason, his eyes staring hotly at the oddly erotic sight of Jooheon with his face down and ass up. The way the younger boy’s ass and thighs looked in those pants should be illegal, Kihyun thought as he licked his lower lip distractedly, giving the boy a dazed look as he chuckled slightly.

 “Jooheony, your ass looks good in that position,” Kihyun said, tone joking but expression clearly saying otherwise, his eyes glinting almost possessively. Jooheon jolted upright, the bag of chips slipping out of his hands as he cheeks burned bright red.

 “Wh-what?” Jooheon asked, voice clearly startled. He swallowed thickly, daring to turn to face Kihyun as he gauged the smaller boy’s reaction. Oh god- he was clearly not joking, despite his overly casual laughter. Kihyun’s eyes looked dominating, and playful, Jooheon couldn’t help but feel oddly aroused by the whole situation.

 “I’m just messing with you Jooheony~” Kihyun said, eyes still staring intensely at Jooheon, studying his reaction. He seemed so submissive, and… willing. It was making Kihyun feel a lot of things he really didn’t want to. And just a little while earlier, he practically came to terms with the fact that he didn’t have a chance with Hoseok. So, what was he doing saying comments like this to Jooheon, his friend and roommate? Kihyun tried to play it off, but honestly, he was feeling really weird right now. Luckily for him, Jooheon didn’t say much else about it, merely grumbling under his breath as he grabbed the bag of chips and plopped down onto the chair in the common area.

 “Wanna hit the play button, hyung?” Jooheon prompted, hoping it was a sufficient distraction. He didn’t know what was going on with Kihyun today, but the boy was clearly going through something with his feelings. Jooheon decided to let it pass for now, and instead simply celebrate the completion of his essay. Trying to shake himself out of his daze, Kihyun pressed the play button, willingly distracting himself with the amusing show. He’d think about this more tomorrow, but right now- he should just relax with his roommate.

 

* * *

 

Waking up with the annoying, loud, blaring sound of his alarm clock, Jooheon sighs, quickly shuffling around to shut off the intrusive noise. Upon doing so, he immediately flops back onto his pillow, pressing his soft sheets against his face in an effort to deny the fact that he had class in an hour. Hearing the familiar shuffling of Kihyun in the room over, Jooheon blearily looks through the crack of his door, seeing Kihyun getting his stuff together.

 “Going to class?” Jooheon asked, voice hoarse and a little deeper than usual, his eyes gazing sleepily at the door.

 “Yeah,” Kihyun promptly replied. Jooheon paused as he thought about the time.

 “Already?” he asked again.

 “Yeah,” Kihyun answered, his voice the same tone. Jooheon nodded, and things started clicking in his mind.

 “Is this your class with Hoseok-hyu-”

 “Yeah,” Kihyun replied, cutting off Jooheon, his voice a little more terse.

 “Ohhhh. Well,” Jooheon said, coughing a little as he tried to warm up his throat. “Good luck.”

 “Thanks,” Kihyun simply replied, and with that, he exited the dorm, the door shutting with a click behind him. Suddenly the weird instances of yesterday came flooding into Jooheon’s foggy mind, and his eyes widened, inhaling shakily. The more he thought about it, the more he realized just how truly weird the whole thing was. Knowing what he had to do, Jooheon grabbed his phone and sent a text out to Changkyun, asking the younger boy for some advice.

 After several strained minutes, he got a reply from the boy that simply said: “I don’t know what to tell you hyung, I don’t want to say anything too rash”. He groaned, laying back onto his bed with a slight pout on his lips. Just how was that supposed to help him right now? Realizing that it was probably time he got out of bed, Jooheon begrudgingly got up, slipping on his clothes and trying his damnedest to not think too much about how Kihyun complimented his ass yesterday. Cheeks flushing, he realized just how futile it was fighting the thought. Well, at least he had an hour away from the boy to get his thoughts together. Jooheon could’ve never predicted just how crazy it was living with Kihyun; on one day- the boy is asking him to be his fake date, and not a few days later he’s complimenting his ass. It was a whirlwind, but honestly? Jooheon kinda loved it. He only wished it would clear up soon. Slipping on his shirt, Jooheon smiled a bit to himself, the hope evident on his face. He only wished it would sort itself out in his favor… he wasn’t asking for much, but if Kihyun could magically fall in love with him, that would be great.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! So sorry for how long this took me to update, but I went ahead and finished the whole story! Hopefully it's a satisfying conclusion for everyone who waited.

“Hoseok-hyung!” Kihyun called out, attempting to flag down Hoseok as he was about to enter their shared classroom. Turning his head at the call, Hoseok looked around, smiling brightly as he realized who was calling him.

“Hey Kihyunnie, how are you doing?” Hoseok asks, walking towards Kihyun so they could chat in the hall before class. Kihyun smiles, trying to ignore his conflicted feelings.

“I’m doing pretty good, you?” he asks, his eyes staring tentatively up at Hoseok’s face. Hoseok smiles, quirking an eyebrow at how obviously weird Kihyun was acting.

“Same here. Is Jooheony doing alright too?” Hoseok prompts, and Kihyun stiffens, laughing forcedly as his eyes dart around.

“Yyyeah, my boyfriend is doing great, haha,” Kihyun replies, thinking that he should probably keep up the ruse, at least for now. He didn’t know if Changkyun told Hoseok about how him and Jooheon weren’t a real couple, but he was going to play it safe. It’d look weird if he suddenly ‘broke up’ with Jooheon, and he still had a crush on Hoseok… or at least he kept telling himself that. 

“Well that’s good,” Hoseok replies as he tries piecing together the puzzle, wondering why Kihyun was acting so awkward, and obviously less flirty, around him suddenly. He decides not to question it any more for now, and instead walks into the room, Kihyun not far behind him.

After class, Hoseok takes out his phone, sending out a text to Changkyun, telling him about how weird Kihyun was acting. At the sound of his phone ringing, Hoseok grabs it, smiling at seeing his boyfriend’s name as the caller ID.

“Hey honey~” Hoseok answers, smiling at the sound of his lover’s voice. 

“Hi~ so, about Kihyun-hyung,” Changkyun begins, and Hoseok prompts him to continue, interest piquing. “It’s not really too weird that he’s acting like that right now, because apparently last night he was making moves on Jooheon-hyung,” Changkyun continued, and Hoseok gasped.

“What? No way!” Hoseok said, clearly surprised.

“Way,” Changkyun said, sparking a giggle from Hoseok. “I think something changed with those two, maybe Kihyun-hyung is finally noticing his feelings for Jooheon-hyung,” Changkyun said, and Hoseok nodded.

“That would explain why Kihyunnie wasn’t hitting on me!” Hoseok said, feeling excitement well up at the possibility of those two hooking up.

“Exactly. I think I have an idea,” Changkyun said, plotting. He then told Hoseok of his plan, a mischievous smirk crossing his features. This was going to be fun~

 

* * *

 

Walking into his dorm and setting his keys down onto the couch, Jooheon sighs, stretching languidly. He’d just gotten out of his most frustrating class, and was still reeling from all of the headaches that came with actually attending it. Checking his phone for the first time in the past hour, Jooheon was shocked to see over a dozen missed texts from Changkyun. Not bothering to read them, Jooheon simply called the boy, curious to see what was so urgent.

“Jooheon-ssi! Where have you been!” Changkyun said, jokingly impatient. Jooheon rolled his eyes, smiling affectionately at the typical behavior from his friend.  

“In class,” Jooheon replied, sparking a long ‘oh’ from Changkyun. “And what with all of those texts? What’s up?” Jooheon asked, preparing for a long story. Changkyun then proceeded to inform Jooheon of Kihyun’s odd behavior with Hoseok, telling him about his and Hoseok’s deduction that Kihyun is starting to fall for Jooheon now. Feeling his cheeks burn at the mere thought of it, Jooheon shook his head, feeling flustered.

“I don’t know about that, Kkungie,” Jooheon replied, feeling doubtful. 

“No, it’s definitely the case, and I can prove it to you,” Changkyun said, and Jooheon raised his eyebrows. “Let’s do another double-date,” he suggested. Jooheon brought a hand to his forehead, rubbing his temples as he thought about it.

“I don’t know…” Jooheon said, doubts beginning to form in his mind.

“It’s gonna work out- just leave it to Hoseok and I,” Changkyun said, his voice taking a pleading tone. “Trust me,” he said, and Jooheon could hear the sincerity in his voice. He could tell Changkyun genuinely wanted to help him hook up with his crush, and he couldn’t find it in himself to tell the boy no.

“Okay,” Jooheon eventually replied, sparking a cheer from Changkyun.

“Yay!! Tell me, are you going to the dining hall for dinner tonight?” Changkyun asked, and Jooheon paused, thinking about it.

“I might be, why?” Jooheon answered, not quite sure what Changkyun was getting at.

“Just let me know what time you’re going, and bring Kihyun with you,” Changkyun said, and Jooheon sighed, starting to figure out Changkyun’s plan.

“Alright, I’ll see you then. Later, Changkyunnie,” Jooheon said, and Changkyun giggled mysteriously, hanging up after a short goodbye. Setting his phone down, Jooheon sighed, shaking his head. He hoped Changkyun knew what he was doing.

 

* * *

 

Jooheon spent the rest of his afternoon working on homework and personal projects, diligently tapping away at a new beat. He had a mild anxiety in the back of his mind about whatever Changkyun had planned for him, but he tried ignoring it as best as he could. When Changkyun was on a mission, there was little Jooheon could do to stop him.

At around 6:30, Kihyun returned to his dorm, entering the room with a huge, tired sigh- like he normally did after his choir class. He also usually came home hungry, so Jooheon walked over to his door, hovering in the doorway as he watched Kihyun unpack his bag and sit down at the couch. Noticing his roommate watching him, Kihyun looked over, smiling awkwardly at the boy.

“Hey, are you hungry?” Kihyun asked, and Jooheon sighed softly, relief washing over him.

“Yeah, wanna go to the dining hall in ten minutes?” Jooheon asked, and Kihyun nodded, standing up from the couch and heading into his room.

“Sounds good,” Kihyun casually replied, and his door shut, the sound of clothes rustling around clear in Jooheon’s ears. Walking back into his room, Jooheon grabbed his phone, letting Changkyun know that they were about to head to the dining hall. Quickly receiving an affirmative reply, Jooheon started getting his clothes on, changing out of his house-wear.

After ten minutes, the two boys left their dorm, making the short walk to the dining hall in virtual silence. Things were still weird between them, especially in Kihyun’s perspective- he was feeling so many conflicted emotions, it was hard to get past his own thoughts while around Jooheon. About halfway to the dining hall, a sudden noise stopped both boys in their tracks.

“Jooheon-ah! Kihyun-ah!” Hoseok called out, and the two boys in question turned around, spotting Hosoek and Changkyun walking towards them with excited steps. Jooheon smiled, his expression tight and forced, worried about what they were going to do. Kihyun had a similar look, but with more strain and tiredness in his eyes. 

“Hey guys…” Kihyun greeted, and Changkyun and Hoseok stopped as they caught up to the other two.

“Hi~ actually, now that we’re all in one place again, that reminds me- we wanted to ask you guys something,” Changkyun started, smiling congenially. Hoseok nodded, picking up where his boyfriend left off.

“We had so much fun at the double date last time that we wanted to have another one!” Hoseok said, looking right into Kihyun’s soul with the most adorable, pure expression he could possibly muster. Kihyun blanched, straightening up at being put on the spot like this. Swallowing nervously, Kihyun smiled, eyes darting around as he thought, but he made the mistake of staring directly into Hoseok’s innocent eyes, and every last bit of his willpower slipped away. 

“Uh, Jooheony, how does that sound to you?” Kihyun asked, grabbing Jooheon’s wrist and looking into his eyes, his expression urging. Jooheon had no idea that Changkyun was planning a ruse like this, and was equally as surprised and put on the spot, not quite sure how to react. Going with the flow, Jooheon nods slowly, trying to read Kihyun’s expression.

“That sounds like fun,” Jooheon answered, and Hoseok and Changkyun cheered, quite excited with the progression of their plan. Kihyun smiled in return, but he looked a little conflicted, something inside him turning.

“Yeah…” Kihyun answered, and that was all the conniving couple needed to hear.

“Awesome! So we’ll see you two love-birds this Saturday at the putt-putt course?” Hoseok asked, and Jooheon outright laughed, his flushed cheeks betraying his initial amusement. With that statement, the two boys waved goodbye, leaving Kihyun and Jooheon standing stock-still and totally confused. Kihyun swallowed, blinking a few times as he processed what just happened.

“So… we’re going putt-putt golfing with Hoseok-hyung and Changkyunnie… as a couple…” Kihyun said aloud, and Jooheon nodded, expression blank as he stared off into the distance.

“This is gonna be a weird weekend,” Kihyun added, and he brought a hand to his hair, carding his fingers through it. There was already so much happening in his head lately, the last thing he needed was to pretend to be his crush’s boyfriend--- oh god, did he just call Jooheon his crush?

“Yeah, it’s definitely gonna be interesting,” Jooheon said, and then he began walking towards the dining hall, figuring they should at least do what they came here to do. Kihyun followed him shortly after, but something had changed in their dynamic- something that may never go back to how it was before this whole mess started. There were a lot of things Kihyun was unsure about, but he was pretty confident that this double-date wasn’t going to go how he thought it would.


	5. Chapter 5

On the days leading up to the dreaded second double-date, tensions were rising between Jooheon and Kihyun. Their dynamic had gotten strained and even bordered on suggestive at times- Kihyun crossing lines that they’d never even thought of crossing before. Yesterday, Kihyun had stood behind Jooheon as he made coffee, his breath tickling the back of Jooheon’s neck, standing dangerously close to the boy. Jooheon felt his heart jump into his throat, a tremor passing through him at their proximity. When he questioned it, Kihyun merely chuckled, the sound strained, playing it off as if it were nothing, but Jooheon wasn’t dumb. Kihyun was holding back, he could feel the ghost of Kihyun’s fingers hovering over his waist as stood behind him, centimeters from holding him. It made Jooheon feel funny inside- a sickening mixture of eagerness and doubt.

Jooheon groaned as he laid in his bed, flopping against his cozy, fluffy sheets. Even though it was the middle of the day, Jooheon was completely exhausted. It was the day before the date, and Jooheon had never felt more anxious for anything in his life. One part of him was hopeful- thinking that maybe Kihyun was starting to truly develop an attraction to him, but the dominant part of him was telling him not to get too excited. He was worried that Kihyun was using Jooheon as a rebound guy- that he wasn’t interested in Hoseok anymore, and was just latching onto the easiest target to deal with the void.

Meanwhile, Kihyun was making his way back to the dorm after an absolute failure of a vocal class. His voice had come out strained and off-key, and there was nothing he could do about his poor performance. He felt horrible for disappointing his professor and his peers, and mixed with his crappy, conflicted mood from earlier- Kihyun desperately needed a pick-me-up. Entering the dorm, Kihyun pressed himself against the nearest wall, rubbing his forehead and willing away his incoming headache. In the next room, he could hear Jooheon shuffling around, and he squeezed his eyes shut. Even though their relationship was strained, he still valued his friendship with Jooheon, and entered the younger boy’s room.

“Hey…” Kihyun greeted, slowly walking into the room. Jooheon, startled out of his half-asleep daze, takes in the older boy’s haggard visage. He hadn’t seen Kihyun look this bad since his last breakup back in high school. His comforting instincts kicked in, and Jooheon sat up, gesturing for Kihyun to sit down onto his bed with him. Walking over and plopping down onto the bed, Kihyun sighed, all of his bad feelings bubbling up again.

“Do you want to tell me about your day?” Jooheon offered, and the dim lighting of the room cast a rather dramatic tone to the scene. Shuffling a little, Kihyun nodded, not really knowing where to begin.

“My class didn’t go so well,” Kihyun began, and Jooheon scrunched his eyebrows together, nodding for him to continue. “I had such a hard time focusing, and nothing was coming out right. I just don’t feel like myself recently,” Kihyun said, and there was something in his eyes that startled Jooheon when he looked at him, something intense and honest. Jooheon felt his breath hitch in his throat, and he blinked a few times, eyelashes fluttering.

“I think I see what you’re saying,” Jooheon said, and his lips parted, getting mesmerized by Kihyun’s strange, intense stare. “You’ve never looked at me like that before,” he admitted, voice barely coming out, his tone soft and shy. Jooheon was honestly a little startled by Kihyun’s behavior- finding it hard to read his thoughts. In the past, Jooheon was confident in his ability to read his best friend like an open book- he thought he knew his Kihyun better than anyone else. But not now, he didn’t know this person; Kihyun wasn’t himself right now. 

Kihyun exhaled, blinking slowly as he admired Jooheon’s presence. He used to feel so comforted by him- like he could always rely on the younger boy, and that he had nothing to hide from him. He used to believe that Jooheon would never see him differently, and always accept him for who he is. Licking his lips, something clicked in Kihyun’s mind: why did he feel the need to hide anything from Jooheon now? He was feeling things for the boy, things he couldn’t figure out, but he knew that he wanted to kiss those plump lips, he wanted to kiss them now. What was stopping him? Leaning forward, his head haloed by the sparse light pouring in through the cracks in the window blinds, Kihyun kissed Jooheon. For only a few short seconds, but it was enough to change everything.

Kihyun was the first to pull away, shocked by his own actions merely seconds after doing them. He couldn’t believe he just kissed his best friend on the lips, practically on a whim, and he quickly got up from the bed, taking a few stumbling steps away from Jooheon, his mind reeling. Jooheon was still processing what just happened- his cheeks bright red and eyes wide with surprise. He watched Kihyun’s internal struggle play out on his face, so he stayed quiet, instead swallowing nervously.

“I’m… sorry,” Kihyun choked out, eyes darting between Jooheon’s eyes as he stepped away from the boy, quickly turning on his heel and exiting the room in a flurry of motion. Jooheon could only reach out his hand in the last futile attempt to get Kihyun to come back, but at the sound of his door slamming shut, Jooheon lowered his arm, disappointed. 

At the sudden emptiness in his room, Jooheon bit his lip, eyebrows scrunching together at all of his warring emotions, laying back down onto his bed. Kihyun had just kissed him- on the lips, even. Curling into the fetal position, Jooheon brought a finger up to his lip, pressing into the spot where he could still feel the ghost of Kihyun’s lips. A thought suddenly popped into Jooheon’s head, and hope started to rise to his cheeks as he thought more about it:

Maybe Kihyun liked him too.


	6. Chapter 6

“Aw, don’t you look cute, Changkyunnie~” Hoseok cooed as his boyfriend opened the door to his dorm for him. Both boys were dressed in sharp, casual but still nice, outfits- all ready to go for their double-date in a half-hour. Changkyun smiled softly, walking into the hallway and shutting the door behind him, locking it before he held onto Hoseok’s hand. 

“So do you, hyung,” Changkyun responded, smiling cutely as he swung their connected hands, making their way to Hoseok’s car. Hoseok giggled, taking the compliment. Walking into the parking lot, both boys were suddenly assaulted by the bright sun and clear blue sky- which was perfect weather for their mini golf double-date. Getting into the car, they drove to the little putt-putt course, parking it and making their way to the entrance where they already spotted the other ‘couple’… who were looking a little haggard, to say the least. 

Roughly 15 minutes ago, Kihyun and Jooheon had arrived at the putt-putt course and spoke to each other for the first time since their kiss yesterday. Things had been incredibly awkward between them, and both were too nervous to say anything to the other… even though they were actually feeling quite similarly. Kihyun still hadn’t fully allowed himself to accept his attraction to Jooheon, but was unknowingly getting closer to this acknowledgment, and Jooheon was still remaining hopeful that Kihyun might reciprocate his feelings… but neither told the other anything. Instead, a thick, tense air surrounded them as they stood in front of the cheery mini-golf center.

“Hey guys,” Hoseok greeted, a little confused as to why the two boys looked so grim. This was going to be such a blast, what was the problem? Kihyun smiled, genuinely warmed by Hoseok’s brightness. Changkyun gave a similar greeting, and then they made their way inside the building to rent clubs and golf balls. Upon getting them, they approached the first hole- and the vibe was starting to get just a little brighter. It helped that Hoseok and Changkyun were in such a good mood- it was starting to rub off on Jooheon and Kihyun.

Wanting to rid himself of the funk surrounding them, Jooheon offered to go first and kick things off right. Dramatically lining up his club to the ball, Jooheon hit the ball with such an incredible amount of flair (and force) that the ball flew out of bounds and immediately got lost in the water décor. Barking out a loud, guttural laugh, Kihyun bent over, immensely amused with his friend’s downright terrible putt-putt skills. Jooheon smiled, happy to see his hyung in a better mood now.

After getting another spare ball (or two), they continued- and it was a fun, lighthearted game. Noticing the general amicability, Changkyun smiled, but a part of him was wondering if it had become too friendly along the way. Of course, he was happy that they were in a better mood now, but he still wanted to play match-maker and stir the pot. Coming up with an idea, Changkyun glanced over at Hoseok, walking over to him with an exaggerated stride. 

“Hyung~ your form is terrible,” Changkyun began, standing flush behind Hoseok, wrapping his arms around the older boy’s body and grasping onto his club in an effort to ‘correct his form’. Hoseok blushed hotly at the feeling of Changkyun’s crotch so close to his butt, and he bit his lip, trying to subtly press back against him. Watching them, Jooheon and Kihyun tensed up, an awkwardness beginning to reform in the air, as if they had all remembered the purpose of this outing at once. This was a double-date; Kihyun and Jooheon were ‘dating’. Looking over at his younger friend, Kihyun smiled nervously, the awkwardness from earlier rising up again. He took a few steps closer to Jooheon, his fingers delicately reaching over to stroke against Jooheon’s wrist in some weak semblance of PDA. Smiling nervously, Jooheon didn’t otherwise react, not really knowing what to do and just going with the flow.

The hot, baking sun cast down upon the four boys as they played, and despite the cold air, the mood was lively and bright with only a few hiccups here and there. As the competition was heating up, however, Kihyun had jokingly swung his club at Jooheon, sparking an adorable and half-pissed cry of disapproval from the younger that made Kihyun’s heart pound. He never noticed how cute Jooheon was, how charming his actions were. Staring at the bright AstroTurf, Kihyun bit his lip, starting to come to terms with his attraction with every little thing Jooheon did. Noticing Kihyun’s reaction, Changkyun smirked, looking between the two boys before grabbing Hoseok’s hand.

“Hoseok~ can you come with me to the bathroom?” Changkyun asked, and Hoseok blinked innocently at him, nodding. 

“Sure, we’ll be right back,” Hoseok said, smiling at the other couple as they started walking away from the course. As he was turning away, Changkyun shot Jooheon a ‘go for it’ look, gesturing wildly over at Kihyun in the most obvious way possible. Chuckling at his behavior, Jooheon nodded, shooing him away before Kihyun saw him.

Now that the others were gone and it was just Jooheon and Kihyun, the atmosphere instantly shifted. Before, there was a certain amount of congeniality that they had to hold up in front of the couple, but now that they were gone, all pretense was dropped. Now, the honest feelings were starting to surface. Glancing at his hyung, Jooheon blinked, blond hair whipping in the sudden breeze, a shiver passing through him. They were alone, and the vibe was open enough to recall feelings of the day before with a more open mind. Jooheon remembered the feeling of Kihyun’s lips on his own, and wondered why he had been holding back for so long. He realized that it was his own self-restraint keeping him from kissing Kihyun sooner, and, judging by Kihyun’s behavior lately, he was definitely feeling something similar. 

“Kihyun,” Jooheon said, getting his hyung’s attention. A cloud moved in front of the sun, casting a dramatic light to the golf course. Jooheon bit his lip, trying to muster up every bit of his courage, eyes staring directly into Kihyun’s. Kihyun merely stared at him confusedly, wondering why Jooheon looked so serious… but a part of him already knew why.

“I like you.”

Kihyun’s eyes shot open, absorbing all the implication and deeper meaning behind Jooheon’s words, leaning forward to give Jooheon a thoughtful look- trying to sort through his emotions. He thinks back to the day before, when he realized that he was holding back for no reason, that he wasn’t acknowledging his own feelings. He had been denying his attraction to Jooheon for weeks now, maybe even longer, and Kihyun had absolutely no idea what was holding him back. Jooheon _liked_ him. There was nothing stopping him from just being honest.

“I like you too,” Kihyun replied, and the cloud moved away from the sun, casting the two boys in a bright ray of clarity. Jooheon felt a shiver pass down his back, a small smile painting his lips. Kihyun reciprocated his feelings- he wasn’t calling him weird, Jooheon hadn’t officially crossed the line. The feeling was overwhelming, and Jooheon took a few steps towards Kihyun, wrapping his arms around the older boy in a warm hug. Holding the boy close, Kihyun felt overwhelmed by relief and happiness, and he parted slightly from Jooheon’s arms- staring deeply into the younger boy’s eyes.

“Can I kiss you?” Kihyun asked, and Jooheon smiled, so happy to finally hear those words from Kihyun’s lips. He decided to answer by pressing his mouth against Kihyun’s, properly kissing him for the first time. Soft lips pressed against each other, and the sound of the wind rushing against them and birds chirping in the distance were the accompanying sounds to their romantic moment. Parting after several long, delicate seconds, Jooheon couldn’t help but smile, his face breaking out into an uncontrollable grin. He quickly hid his face into Kihyun’s shoulder, cheeks burning up, but Kihyun just found his behavior adorable, stroking the back of Jooheon’s head with gentle strokes. They stayed like this for a few minutes, just holding each other, a peace and mutual understanding overcoming him that was difficult to tear away from. 

“Wow~ you’re actually acting like a couple now~” Changkyun called out, voice sounding a little cheeky, completely breaking the serene moment. Reluctantly pulling away, Kihyun and Jooheon both gave the boy an unamused look. 

“Ha-Ha,” Jooheon replied, and he noticed a slight tension forming on Kihyun’s brow. He decided that now they were in a more open relationship, there were a few things that Kihyun should know. Leaning close to Kihyun, Jooheon whispered into his ear. “They know we aren’t really a couple,” Jooheon said, and Kihyun groaned in exasperation, wondering just how long they’d known… but then quickly realizing that it didn’t really matter now.

“Well, we’re a couple now, aren’t we?” Kihyun said, giving Jooheon a cocky grin, quirking an eyebrow. Flushing hotly, Jooheon choked on his reply, finding it difficult to breathe, let alone speak, after Kihyun asked him something like that. Collecting himself bit by bit, Jooheon eventually replied, reaching down to hold Kihyun’s hand.

“We are,” Jooheon answered, and he leaned forward, giving his boyfriend a kiss on the lips.

The rest of the game went by without a hitch; they all had a ton of fun together and truly interacted like four friends, and two couples, on a double date together. As they approached the final hole, Jooheon glanced over at Kihyun, knowing that while he may be losing the game, he was having one of the best days this year. He was so glad that he had the guts to ask out his crush and finally admit his feelings to his roommate. It was like everything was piecing together, how it should be. 

“That was really fun,” Kihyun said as they finished up the final hole, referring to the ridiculous game he’d just participated in. The others all nodded, agreeing with him. Jooheon felt a tiny smile cross his lips, and he reached down, holding Kihyun’s hand.

“Let’s do a lot more double dates in the future!” Hoseok said, voice excited as he stared at the other three boys. Smiling happily, they all nodded, vowing to get together like this many more times if it was going to be as fun as this. And, for Kihyun and Jooheon, it meant going on dates with their new boyfriend- something both boys were really excited to do. <3


End file.
